Chicagoetry: My Bastard Heart

My Bastard Heart

I mean to introduce articles of impeachment
Against my heart

For high crimes and misdemeanors, betrayal,
Corruption, lying, cheating,
Bad faith, emotional infidelity, abandonment,
Psychological cruelty:

Sneaking out to the opening night charity gala for the Chicago Auto Show
With Allison Rosati,
High-fiving Eddie Vedder in a Wrigley Field skybox
During the NLCS,

Sampling edgy new IPA recipes at Revolution with David Eigenberg,

Regaling fellow guests at Book Club at Sugar Rautbord's
With off-color anecdotes of bone-dry wit,
Three martini brunches at Gene & Georgetti's
With highly-placed members of the Cook County Board,

All without my consent, without my knowledge,
Under a brittle guise of commitment and monogamy;
Leaving me at home alone under my Slanket, binge-watching
"Transparent" and "I Love Dick" with dry toast, herbal tea and fresh boxes of Puffs

For the sensitive nose;

I've got wire-taps, camera-phone footage, leakers,
Sworn depositions, deep background, sources close to the administration;

Now I'm readying the noose and hood,
The blindfold and cigarette,
The kindling-based stake, the lethal injection;

It's a disgrace, an outrage, a mockery of the institution, an injustice of the first water;

Fatty, distended, irregular,
And I've been putting up with it
All these years . . .

Time to take care of myself, be here for me,
Rebuild my confidence, independence and pride.
Today is my New Beginning!

And if any of you decide to let the damn thing
Into your life don't say I didn't warn you...

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J.J. Tindall is the Beachwood's poet-in-residence. He welcomes your comments. Chicagoetry is an exclusive Beachwood collection-in-progress.

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More Tindall:

* Chicagoetry: The Book

* Ready To Rock: The Music

* Kindled Tindall: The Novel

* The Viral Video: The Match Game Dance

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